After Medical Marijuana’s Defeat At The Polls, Ohio Lawmakers Ready To Explore Issue
News outlets also report on related developments in Minnesota and California.
The Columbus Post-Dispatch:
House Leaders To Carefully Explore Medical Marijuana
After years of resistance, Republican legislative leaders are now heading down the path toward legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. (Siegel, 11/5)
The Associated Press:
Panel Cautions Against Adding Pain To Medical Marijuana Law
An advisory panel cautioned Wednesday against expanding Minnesota's medical marijuana program to include patients suffering chronic pain starting next year. The recommendation from the panel's medical experts to Department of Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger is not a final say — it's up to Ehlinger to make the decision by Jan. 1. But five of eight panel members voted against the possible expansion, arguing that there's limited evidence of marijuana's efficacy in treating pain and noting physicians' reluctance to using the drug as a treatment. (11/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Federal Judge Slaps Justice Department For Limits On Medical Marijuana
A recent federal court ruling in San Francisco is a blow to Justice Department efforts to limit the sale of medical marijuana in California and 22 other states, according to legal experts and government officials. In a scathing opinion last month, U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Breyer challenged the Justice Department’s narrow interpretation of part of a law passed by Congress last year that bars the department from spending any money to prevent a state from implementing its medical marijuana laws. (Phelps, 11/4)
